


Reach for Me

by eccentrix (orphan_account)



Series: Uchiha Worship [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 18+ ONLY, F/M, Multi, Rebooted Version!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:00:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22223716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/eccentrix
Summary: You had accepted that you were going to be a part of the Uchiha family at a very young age. Even when the circumstances of your engagement changed, they were still your family. You loved them all dearly, and because of your deep love for one of them in particular, you were willing to let go of your past and move on. Soon after you realize how little you really know about them, your husband included.And you do not like it. Not one bit.
Relationships: One-sided!Sasuke/reader, Past!Itachi/reader, Uchiha Shisui/Reader
Series: Uchiha Worship [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1641205
Comments: 17
Kudos: 84





	1. Song of the Crow

You let out a deep breath, closing your eyes slowly as you splayed your fingers gently across the piano keys in front of you. The smallest of grins danced upon your lips as you squared your shoulders, exhaled softly, and pressed the first few keys. 

You hummed along to the slow, steady start of the tune you’d sung so many times in the past, unknowingly swaying your body along with each sweep of your arm. 

You were drawn into your own melody. You hadn’t known _exactly_ why you had felt so compelled to play this song tonight, but you’d felt the yearning in your fingertips. Your heart had followed. 

A part of you knew. 

You had to let it go. 

Unlike the rest of your works, this one maintained a rather diminutive sound - however, it was a beautiful one. A light, airy melody with low, almost breathy bass tones. The keys spoke of a slowly running stream, of a leaping, bounding winter rabbit, their footfalls cushioned by the soft sleet below, never quite getting to a dangerous height, but nearly soaring through the air. It spoke of starlight, of an illuminating moon. And lastly, but most importantly, the laughter of a crow as it stood tall above the rest, gazing down upon it all from its perch. 

The words to this song were long forgotten - your tongue hadn’t tasted them in quite some time, and as such, you were finally letting them run their course. 

As the song died down to a single, long held note, one that left the song to be widely believed by your listeners in the past that it was a melody that had been left unfinished, you heard a loud, repeated clapping sound coming from behind you. It echoed off of the tall walls of your entryway. You looked for the source. 

A smile once again took your lips. “Sasu.” 

“That was Itachi’s song,” he stated as fact, taking a few steps down the marble stairs and coming down towards the floor where you sat at the piano. 

“Oh, was it?” You asked, though you knew the answer. You played it frequently, though you kept it secret. You stood, moving to a stand and wrapping an arm around his form, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “It’s been many years since I composed that piece. I think it’s time to put it to rest.”

“If you say so,” he responded, holding his hand out to you as you sat back down. You looked at him curiously. “Dance with me.” 

You laughed softly. “There won’t be any music to dance to if I don’t play, Sasu.” He fished his phone out of his suit pants and placed it gently on the top of your piano, ignoring your glare and your protests that you’d just polished it, and pressed the play button.

Itachi’s song, though it was a much quieter version, started playing from his phone - from the very beginning. You looked at him and shook your head. “That song is about twelve minutes long. How long were you standing there?” 

“Doesn’t matter.” He flexed his fingers. “Come on.” You took his hand then and he led you to a stand, directing you from your piano and to the middle of the floor. “I’ve always liked this song,” he commented as he wound your fingers together, lowering his other to your hip. You placed yours against his shoulder. 

The two of you swayed together, a simple back and forth, until your song was finished. When you were finished, Sasuke let his touch fall from you and he took a step back. “Are you ready?” 

“Yes,” you affirmed, “I just need to get my purse.” 

“Go,” Sasuke instructed. You didn’t offer a response to him beyond a nod of affirmation and then you hurried up the winding staircase to your bedroom. 

You rushed by several closed doors before coming to a room that you had only recently decided was going to be _your_ _own_. It was still rather bare and not quite equipped to your tastes as of yet. There was far too much white. 

Your purse sat on the vanity in the corner of the room. You checked your appearance one last time, adjusted your cardigan, retrieved your purse and left. Back down the labyrinth of a hallway and down the stairs you went, not sparing a glance from your walkway. 

Before you even reached halfway down the stairs, you heard two voices. One was rather elevated, while the other, admittedly annoyed, was significantly more composed. You recognized them both - the agitated voice belonged to Sasuke, and the other to your husband. 

You felt your heart flutter in your chest. You stopped walking to take a quick inhale to calm yourself, gripped your purse strap a bit tighter, and then carried on. 

At the clink of your heel on the marble flooring, both men looked over at you. “Hi,” you greeted, meeting eyes with Shisui. “I didn’t expect you home so soon.” 

“Technically, I’m not,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just wanted to see you off and wish you luck tonight.” 

“Congratulations. Now you’ve done that. Let’s go, (Name),” Sasuke asserted, irritation still sharp on his tongue. 

“Stop, Sasu,” you ordered, shooting him a brief glare. Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest. You walked over to Shisui, placed a chaste, quick kiss on his lips that he couldn’t even return, and patted the side of his cheek. “Thanks for the luck, Shisui.” You turned to Sasuke. “ _Now_ we can go.” 

Sasuke looked surprised for a fraction of a second, but nodded. The two of you walked to the door and Sasuke held it open for you. 

You felt Shisui’s eyes on you as you walked out. 

Once the two of you were safely settled in Sasuke’s limousine and on the way down the long driveway, he let out a sigh of distaste. 

You rolled your eyes. “Oh, stop that. He was being civil.” 

“He had five years to be civil.” 

“Six,” you corrected, “but he was, for the most part. Things only fell apart in recent years. He’s a workaholic.” 

“You can’t be serious,” Sasuke growled under his breath. “He’s neglecting you. Period.” 

You felt a stab of guilt. You hadn’t been all that attentive to him either. But you had realized how badly you’d wanted to make this work. “He came home in the middle of his workday to wish me luck, Sasu. I would say that’s an improvement.” 

“He’d be going if he cared.” 

“He has _work_.” 

“So did I,” Sasuke refuted, “and I finished all of mine early.” 

“A _mission_ , Sasu. Not paperwork,” you spat back, your mood quickly souring. “Look, we gave this a second chance and put a hold on the divorce paperwork because I… I love him. I know you’re under the impression that he’s gotten lazy and he won’t change, but I think otherwise. He is a good man. He understands that I will leave if he continues to ignore me despite all of our conversations. I’m going to put forth more effort too. It’s not like I’ve been trying that hard either.” 

“How many _second_ chances are you going to give this?” He countered, a scowl on his face. You clicked your tongue and averted your eyes to the tinted windows. You could still feel his unwavering attention on you. “I am only being this way because-”

“You care for me. Yes, Sasuke, I know,” you interrupted him, your words short, curt. 

Sasuke cleared his throat. You never used his full first name unless you were irritated. “You deserve someone better.” 

“Potential husbands don’t just come out of nowhere, Sasu.” 

He released the tension in his shoulders at the sound of his nickname falling from your lips once again. “Marry me.” 

You winced as if his words were as cacophonous as nails across a chalkboard. He swallowed the resulting hurt. 

“Then marry Itachi. He knew you better,” he tried. 

“Stop that!” You yelled. Sasuke swallowed heavily. “I’ve asked you to stop saying that,” you whispered. “I hate it when you say that.” 

Sasuke didn’t reply but started toying with his phone. “You have a twisted view of relationships.” 

“Yours is not much better, all things considered.” 

Sasuke pursed his lips. “I don’t think of myself in a relationship.” 

“You’re engaged,” you said, deadpan. 

“It was arranged and I never see her. Hardly an engagement.” You groaned at his stubbornness and brought out your own phone. 

You had a few text messages. You bypassed them all once you saw your husband’s name. 

**_Uchiha Shisui_ **

_Ahh… sorry. I wish I could’ve gotten the full day off. I’ll be there for your next performance._

You smiled at his text and responded hastily, but shortly so it wouldn’t give you too much of an eager vibe. 

**_Uchiha (Name)_ **

_Thank you._

You responded to your best friend Tayuya in your group chat with your shared friends and then scrolled down to Itachi’s name, who had texted you before you began practicing earlier that afternoon. You’d seen a preview of his text a few minutes after he sent it, but ignored it in favor of starting your session. 

Maybe that had been what had inspired you to play what you’d subconsciously remembered to be _his_ song. 

You spontaneously decided that you were going to play it tonight as one of your encore pieces - if they asked for one - this morning. 

**_Uchiha Itachi_ **

_Good luck tonight._

**_Uchiha Itachi_ **

_I am sure you will be as magnificent as always._

**_Uchiha (Name)_ **

_Thank you, Itachi._

**_Uchiha (Name)_ **

_I appreciate you, you know. And all that you do for me. I always have and I always will._

“Oi,” Sasuke snapped, getting your attention. “Look.” He motioned his head towards the window. 

Your eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, my…” There was a large, growing line in front of the concert venue. The driver was making his way to the other side of the venue, but you were stunned at the crowd you were seeing. “I didn’t expect this.” 

“It’s your first appearance in six months,” Sasuke reminded you.

“Even still…” You took a deep breath. Your nerves were multiplying with each second that passed. “You’re not surprised at all?”

“No.” Sasuke went to comment on how truly revered you were in the music world, that your influence was one that went beyond genre, but he silenced himself. He didn’t want to push you away by layering on compliments. He was pleasantly surprised that you’d even danced with him this evening. 

Guards were stationed exactly where you’d been anticipated to stop. You inhaled again, trying to stem your fluttering nerves when Sasuke placed his hand gently on yours. “You’ll be fine.” 

You laughed softly and patted his hand with your other one. “I think so too.” 

And then the driver opened your door.

You were greeted with a sea of white flashes. You plastered a grin on your face and stepped out, waving to the gathered paparazzi and fans alike. Sasuke stepped out after you - while he was wearing a softer expression than he did normally, he didn’t bother to smile for the cameras. 

The two of you made your way across the bordered carpet - you’d been praying that you wouldn’t trip - and when the door closed after you, you let out a groan and Sasuke’s scowl fell into place. 

“That wasn’t so bad, right?” 

“Yeah,” Sasuke agreed. 

Your polite smile quickly found its way back to your face. “Hi Hinata.” 

“Hi, (Name). Are you ready for makeup?” 

“I am.” You turned to Sasuke. “Your seat should be by Jūgo’s. Will you be alright getting there?”

“I’ll be fine.” 

You leaned up and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. “Good. I’ll see you later.” 

“Good luck.” 

You grinned and followed Hinata down the dark hallway. “Thank you, Sasu.”

**_~~~~~~_ **

“You should at least change your shirt first, Shisui.” 

The wavy-haired officer looked down at his blood-stained, blue collared shirt. “I don’t have another one,” he almost pouted, a frown on his face. “Do you have an extra, Itachi?” 

“I don’t know if mine will fit you,” Itachi countered, closing his laptop and standing up. “But I will check in the car when we get out there.” 

“Thanks, cousin. Did you send the report to the Prime Minister?” 

“I did. At least try to make things a bit easier for me next time, Shisui. It's harder to cover things up when you’re this sloppy.” 

Shisui frowned and unbuttoned his shirt. “I didn’t mean to be sloppy. I was just worried that we would miss the entire performance.” 

Itachi put on his coat and tucked his laptop under his arm. “We will if we don’t hurry.” 

Shisui hummed in acknowledgement and continued to take off his shirt on the way out of Itachi’s office. They made their way through the station and out to the back entrance. Shisui tossed Itachi his messy shirt and caught the one he threw back at him effortlessly. It was black, thankfully, so it would go with the rest of Shisui’s outfit - if it fit. 

Both Shisui and Itachi got in the car. Itachi started it up while Shisui proceeded to clothe himself. Shisui grunted. “You need to bulk up, Itachi. This is super tight.” 

“I have a slimmer frame than you,” he returned, not taking his eyes from the road. “Just undo the first few buttons.” 

“That’s the plan. I don’t think we’ll be able to sit anywhere, but I don't mind standing up top.” Itachi voices his agreement. “Hey, what do you think she’ll play? Something from that new game she featured in? Or that movie… what was it called… _Summer Set?_ ”

“It's called _Summer Sunset._ She’s likely _done_ both.” Itachi looked at the clock on his car and sighed. “We’ve already missed almost half of it.” 

“As long as I catch even one song, I’m good.” Shisui rubbed at his temples. “I’ve seriously been fucking up lately. If I keep missing these things, she’s really gonna divorce me.” Itachi’s eyes flickered over to his cousin. 

“It’s not that,” Itachi commented, “You need to turn down some of the missions my father gives you. You’re never home. You’re always abroad.” 

“Probably why he married her to me rather than you,” Shisui huffed. “He knew that I’d end up putting family business and work first without me even realizing it.” 

“Possibly.” Itachi looked at Shisui again. “You’re also more suited towards field work. My father would’ve preferred that from me.” 

Shisui made an odd expression. “He’s still proud of you. You _and_ Sasuke. I get handed the brunt of the dirty work, you guys cover all the legal bases. That’s how it’s always been. I’m sure he knew that was how it was always gonna be relatively early on.” Shisui sighed. “I don’t know, Itachi. I love her, but sometimes I think you’d have been better for her than I am. I’m just not good at this stuff.” 

“Just show her that you care,” Itachi responded, glancing at his gps and back at the road.

“How do I do that? I try sometimes, but it always seems wrong. What am I doing wrong?” 

“I don’t know. I won’t be much help. It’s been a long time since my last relationship.” 

“ _She_ was your last relationship.” 

Itachi felt the corners of his lips twitch into a deeper frown. “I know.”

Shisui watched the expression on Itachi’s face and then sighed. He probably wasn’t the best person to talk to about his relationship with you. “Sorry.” 

Itachi shrugged nonchalantly, as if it didn’t bother him. “It’s fine.” 

Shisui knew it was _not_ fine. 

**_~~~~~~_ **

_Your lungs were burning as you panted heavily. Your fingers were grasping tightly onto the hand that trailed in front of you. It practically dragged you forward, and even though you had wanted to stop ages ago, you hadn’t._

_“Itachi,” you panted as he rounded another corner. “Where the hell are we going?”_

_“Somewhere private,” he answered._

_“That’s not an answer!” You huffed at him. “I-“ He practically threw you into the next room as he ripped open the door._

_He closed it hastily but without noise. You momentarily marveled at his grace before he put his finger under your chin, directing you to look him in the eye._

_It almost intimidated you. Almost._

_“I need to tell you something.” You cocked a brow._

_“What is it, Itachi?” His normally stony expression had softened._

_“My parents aren't going through with our engagement.” Your eyes widened and your heart dropped._

_“Wh-what do you mean?” He brushed his finger against your cheek. You stared deeply into his unreadable optics._

_“My parents decided that a marriage would be counterproductive for me at this time.” Your face fell._

_“Why? What happened? I don’t understand.” Tears threatened to fall from your cheeks._

_Itachi allowed a small sigh to slip through his lips. “I’m afraid I’ve allowed myself to get too distracted. The quality in my work has drastically decreased and my father is displeased.” He placed a soft kiss on your forehead and brought you into him. He wrapped one of his arms tightly around your waist and held your head to his chest._

_The tears in your eyes began to stream down your face. He slipped his eyes shut as you sobbed into him, wetting his shirt._

_“I’m sorry, (Name).”_

_“I-I love you Itachi.”_

_“I love you too, (Name). That will never change.”_

**_~~~~~~_ **

The final _two_ notes of the _Song of the Crow_ rang out into the large amphitheater. After everything, all your solos, songs with the orchestra, the choir, the band… you couldn’t have picked a better song to end the night with. It still sounded as if it was missing something, but…

After you finished, you walked over to the microphone and introduced your final song, your final _encore,_ as a song that had once meant so much to you, one that always would. This was a song that had been drowned out by the sound of tittering songbirds and the kiss of a sweet spring breeze on your skin. You’d explained that you’d always have a love for this song, that this song was always a part of you, but you had long since realized that the winter crow had to give way to the songbirds of spring for summer to spread its wings and fly too. You were finally beginning the process of letting go of the winter. You were going to embrace the spring. 

The resulting applause had tears streaming down your face within seconds. You bowed several times, your blurry vision landing on a standing, clapping Sasuke, and you smiled. 

“Thank you!” You cried out. “Thank you so much! I couldn’t have imagined a better way to end tonight!” You gushed, wiping furiously at your tears. You heard the sounds of Tayuya’s whooping coming from behind Sasuke and you laughed again, quickly becoming a mess of tears and laughter. You turned from the audience, covering your face with your hands. Hinata hurried out to get you, realizing that you weren’t properly navigating yourself, and led you behind the stage. Sasuke turned and went to exit. He felt a hand on his wrist stop him. 

“You’re not going without us, big boy,” Tayuya warned him, a scowl on her face. Kimmimaro and Jūgo stood behind her. Sasuke rolled his eyes. At least the others were staying put. 

“Fine. Let’s go.” 

**_~~~~~~_ **

Shisui and Itachi both leaned on the railing of the second floor, staring down at the stage. They had made it in time for the last three songs and the two encore songs, but you had just scuffled off stage in tears. 

Shisui’s grip on his whiskey glass was tight. His knuckles had long since gone white and his jaw was clenched. Itachi could tell he was upset. 

But so was Itachi. 

“Well,” he started, watching as the crowd thinned. “I think I can safely say that she still loves you.” Shisui took a long swig of his drink and set the empty glass down on the ground. “I had a feeling.” 

“I didn’t know, Shisui.” 

“It’s not your fault.” Shisui looked away from his cousin who was frantically searching his face for emotion. Itachi could find none - Shisui’s jaw was now back in position, his eyes displaying nothing but the reflection of the dim venue lighting. “At least now I know that, uh, it wasn’t _all_ me.” 

“I’m sorry,” Itachi apologized, “I didn’t mean to ruin your marriage.” 

“You didn’t ruin it,” Shisui insisted, “there were a lot of factors that contributed to her just throwing those papers at me. Her remaining feelings for you might’ve been one of them, but they aren’t your fault. I wasn’t trying hard enough. She wasn’t trying hard enough. It was just…” 

“You are much better for her than I ever could be,” Itachi interrupted him, “you complement her in ways I could never dream of. You and her - you’re both so bright. I could only ever dim her-”

“Hey, Itachi. I’m not mad. I’m just… surprised, okay? She never gave any prior indicators of loving you still. And besides, I could never be mad at you for that. You treated her well. You were the first person she ever loved.” 

Itachi was speechless. His saint of a cousin had just witnessed his wife give a complete monologue, essentially an admission that she still loved Itachi, and all he was… was surprised. Did he feel betrayal deep down? Did he feel inferior? 

“Alright,” Shisui concluded his own thoughts with a sigh. “We should get going. I have to meet Obito in the City of Lightning by 0400.” Itachi watched him stand straight, and while his own emotions were whirring out of control, he knew his were _spiraling_. 

“Yeah,” Itachi affirmed. “I’ll take you to the airport.” 

“‘Appreciate it.” 

Shisui and Itachi followed out the last of the stragglers and made their way back to Itachi’s car. In the middle of the trek, Shisui decided against telling you he’d popped in for the last bit of your performance. He felt you may have _not_ wanted him to know about the fact you’d played the song you wrote for his cousin all those years ago. 

Unbeknownst to him, Itachi had decided the same. 

**_~~~~~~_ **

“We need to talk later,” Sasuke whispered in your ear. It was hardly audible over the loud piano at the blues bar your friends had decided to rent out for the after party. 

“Why?” You asked, swirling around the red liquid in your wine glass. “To you, that should’ve been easy enough to interpret.” 

“Because he’s my _brother_ ,” Sasuke hissed back, his right arm brushing against yours. He was almost locking you in against the bar counter. If his other arm settled around your other side, his chest would be against yours and you would be unable to move. “You didn’t tell me.” 

“It’s something I have to work through on my own, Sasu. You can’t help me with everything.” 

“Are you still seeing that therapist?” Sasuke asked, his ever present scowl wrinkling his forehead. 

“Yes, Sasu. You truly have impeccable taste in people that assist in unpacking trauma. Thank you for recommending them to me,” you hummed at him, a buzzed smirk on your face. Sasuke gave you a look of disapproval. 

“Stop with the sarcasm.” 

You giggled and lightly shoved his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit tipsy. I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” you spoke almost wistfully. “It was a necessary step.” 

“I-”

“Get away from my best friend, you weirdo,” Tayuya suddenly demanded, back from her bathroom trip. You grinned and took a few steps over to her, wrapping an arm around her. “It’s time we kick this thing up a notch. Bartender, let’s get a round of shots for _everyone!_ All on me!” The silver-haired bartender grumbled a few curse words under his breath and called for help before setting out glass after glass. Soon enough, you were being crowded by the other occupants and Sasuke had completely lost any opportunity to talk to you. 

“Oi!” He felt a familiar hand slam down on his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder to see Naruto standing there, Sakura and Sai behind him. There was a trail of those he’d recognized - his and Naruto’s friends, about 9 of them - behind him. “You looked really outta place with all these Sound City peeps! We decided to come keep you company!” 

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but internally, he was thankful. 

**_~~~~~~_ **

_Your scowl was practically engraved onto your face._

_This guy was moving way too fucking fast. If you remembered correctly, this was the same guy at the party you had for yours and Itachi’s failed engagement._

_And he had danced way too fucking fast that time too!_

_You bit your lip and checked the people around you, making sure no one was watching._

_Madara made a hissing sound, glaring down at you from underneath his long dark hair. You couldn’t help the smirk that had formed._

_“Sorry, it was an accident.” Madara’s brow cocked at you as you brought your foot down on his toes a second time. He spun you quickly in retaliation._

_“You asshole,” you spat as you tumbled forward, placing your hands on his chest as you tried to regain your balance. “Stop moving so fast!”_

_“You’re just too slow.”_

_“Then how come no one else has had any problems?!” You demanded, stepping on his toes again._

_“They aren’t as skilled as I am.”_

_“Bullshit,” you spat. “You suck.”_

_Madara smirked down at you and you found yourself actually regretting your words as soon as they poured from your mouth. That look in his eye was anything but welcoming._

_“Be careful who you insult,” he bent your back down in a dip. “Some people in this world aren’t related to your fiancé. They won’t take too kindly to your ill mannered behavior.”_

_You scoffed at him._

_“Shisui wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”_

_“Sometimes things are inevitable.”_

_“Yeah? You mean like this?”_

_Madara glowered at you as a sharp pain shot up his foot._

**_~~~~~~_ **

Your phone rang four times before you were able to clamber over to it from your dresser. Your eyes narrowed once you saw the number. “Madara? What’s up?”

_“Come open your door.”_

“Well hello to you too,” you teased, grabbing a robe from your dresser and sliding it over your silk pajama top. “Give me a second. I just got out of the shower.” 

_“It’s not like your greeting was proper either,”_ he supplied. You could just picture the exasperated look on his face. 

You hurried out of your temporary bedroom. “I’m coming. No one told me that you were in town,” you told him, tying your robe closed. 

_“Of course they didn’t tell you. They didn’t know. I didn’t want anyone bothering me. I’m supposed to be on vacation.”_

You clicked your tongue. “Ah, I see.” You rushed down the stairs, two at a time, and then shuffled over to the door. You hung up, knowing a goodbye was unnecessary as he was outside. 

When you opened the door, you quickly noticed that Madara looked as regal and youthful as ever. “More plastic surgery?” you joked. Madara rolled his eyes unceremoniously and walked passed you, his rolling luggage bag in tow. 

“You are nearly as insufferable as your husband,” Madara retorted, setting his bag off to the side. 

“I’ll have one of the maids put that away. Would you like something to eat? I’ll have the chef prepare something for you,” you offered. Madara shuffled his long hair about and nodded. 

“Starving. Airplane food is horrendous.” 

“I second that,” you agreed, taking out your phone and going to shoot a text to your personal chef. “Any requests in particular?” You pressed a kiss to his cheek and he brought you in for a brief hug.

“Inarizushi.” 

“On it!” You sang, a smile on your face. You texted in his order and got a confirmation from your chef. 

“Obito told me you had a performance last night,” he said, peeling off his jacket and placing it on the hall tree.

“I did. It was wonderful!” You gushed. “Do you want to see the entertainment room? We renovated a bit since the last time you were here.” 

“Sure,” Madara shrugged, looking over at you. “Let me know the next time you perform. I will see if I can make arrangements.” You waved him along, forcing him to follow you up the stairs.  
  
“I will let you know for sure. Sasu recorded it though, so if you want to see it-”

“I will just settle for the next performance,” he interrupted, “the last thing I need is one of Fugaku’s henchman coming for me when I’m retired.” 

You laughed aloud. “Of course. Have you played the new _Last Strike_ installment yet? I composed over half of the music on that game. Do you want to play it?” Madara entertained your countless questions and passionate conversation about gaming and movies for around half an hour before the chef came through with his meal - and a little extra. While he did appreciate your company, you were a bit too bubbly for him, considering the majority of his family members were so broody that it ran through the bloodline. With that being said, your energy was revitalizing in a way, and he did find himself enjoying this spontaneous trip to Konohagakure more than he let on. 

Even still, he wouldn’t let the opportunity for Shisui to owe him a favor pass him by, so he had agreed to stay with you for an entire week while Shisui was on an assignment. There was a possibility that you may eventually find out that Shisui sent Madara in order to ensure your safety while he was away, but that wasn’t really his concern. Shisui always made sure you were taken care of while he was gone, be it by Sasuke, Obito, Mikoto, or Itachi. Someone was always by your side while he was out on missions. 

They all knew that once you found out, you’d be livid and think it patronizing, but that was a risk they were willing to take. Family loyalty was their most important creed, and you were family. 

And despite what was possibly to come after you’d threatened divorce, each of them agreed that you always would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAND WE ARE BACK, BOIS! And we’re starting off with a smarter, stronger, more independent reader than the last go ‘round! Man, idk about you, but I am P U M P E D. 
> 
> Anyway, here’s the first chapter of Reach for Me: new & improved! The plot is better, the reader is better, the characterization is better... Everything is better. You will see! 
> 
> Thanks for reading, my friends. I hope you enjoy the reboot!


	2. Spring Showers

It had taken a long while for Madara to warm up to you. After you’d practically brutalized his favorite pair of dress shoes - which had been  658,117 ryo - his opinion of you had been thoroughly soured. It had taken him over six months to come around to the idea of one of his distant relatives marrying you; as the  _ retired  _ Uchiha patriarch, he could only relent in the face of Fugaku’s familial arrangements. He knew he could’ve decided to take the mantle back at any time, but he had decided against doing so. He was tired and he  _ thought  _ that Fugaku was intelligent enough to make complex decisions. He had initially questioned whether or not his nephew was suited for the role after engaging Itachi to you, but after weighing his other options (his increasingly unhinged son and his aging younger brother), he’d decided he would have to risk giving Fugaku the title.   
  
All in all, he’d done right by the family. You had assimilated quite nicely after some time, and after the adjustment to your new,  _ second  _ engagement, he had decided that Fugaku had more brains than he’d thought. Your personality suited Shisui much better than Itachi’s, and Itachi’s performance had drastically decreased after being given your hand, so it was only natural that your first engagement had been rescinded. Fugaku had come to Madara for guidance in that decision, and while Madara’s word didn’t carry much weight in terms of finality since he’d vacated his position, Fugaku still took his word as law. He cut off your pending marriage to Itachi after Madara had told him it was for the best.   
  
Today, he swallowed his displeasure when you’d invited Sasuke over. He didn’t miss that you seemed much more rejuvenated than the last time he’d spent time with you. You were practically glowing with  _ something  _ \- he had no idea what, he was never adept at analyzing women. Sasuke had told him that you were finally beginning to let go of Itachi and embrace your relationship with Shisui in its fullest once he returned from his overseas “trip”.  That piece of information, though it had come from Sasuke, had proved to be helpful during his next phone conversation with his increasingly frustrating son. Obito had come across a website across the dark web on which hitmen were frequently sought out, and while for the most part Obito decided not to intervene unless necessary (in the case of hits requested on politicians and other influential persons like celebrities), he had deemed it pivotal to get involved in the most recent posting. As such, he’d contacted Madara immediately and sent him a screenshot of the ad.   
  
  


_ I am looking for an experienced candidate to carry out a mission for me. _ _   
_ _ This target is a relatively high profile person that married into a well-known family. _ _   
_ _ They have only recently returned to the public eye, so now is the ideal time. _ _   
_ _ If this is a successful mission, I will have 2 more for you to complete. _ _   
_ _ The other targets are closely related to the first. _ _   
_ _ I will pay in cash and up front.  _

_ Name your price.  _ _   
_ _ And I will triple it. _

At first glance, it didn’t look like much to him; however, after a few minutes of deliberation and persuading from his son, he decided that this particular hit would be too much of a risk to ignore. You were one target, and he assumed Itachi and Shisui were next. 

Madara was looking down at the screenshot for what felt like the thousandth time when Sasuke came up from behind him as he sat down at the dinner table.   
  
“What is that?” Sasuke asked, his tone short and snappish. “It looks like one of those websites Obito monitors.”    
  
“It is.”    
  
“Why are you looking at it? You’ve been threatening me not to bring you any work every time I’ve seen you for the past two years,” Sasuke demanded, leaning over Madara’s shoulder. Madara quickly closed the picture down. Sasuke frowned severely. “Madara, you know that I don’t give a shit about respecting my elders. If you don’t tell me what that was, I’ll take your phone from you.”    
  
Madara sighed, internally cursing his nephew for raising his son to be so damn meddlesome and belligerent before standing rather abruptly. “I have thirty five years of experience on you, child. It would be best not to rouse a dormant lion, do you not agree?” 

Sasuke blocked him from walking away. “If this involves (Name), then it involves me.”

What an absolutely cunning, perceptive little shit.    
  
“You’re starting to irritate me, Sasuke.”   
  
“Then I’ve done my job,” Sasuke asserted, “you have a responsibility to this family regardless of how long ago you stepped down, Madara. A clan head never truly retires.” 

“Yes, Sasuke, thank you for pointing out the painfully obvious. I’ll be sure to inform Fugaku of your unwavering loyalty to the clan’s testaments when he is considering which of his sons he will pass his  _ burdens  _ onto.” 

Sasuke shifted his feet in the slightest and Madara nearly prepared for him to strike, however your sudden appearance stopped Sasuke short. 

“Are the two of you bickering again?” You asked of them, a curt frown on your face. Sasuke immediately backed down. 

“No,” Sasuke insisted, “conversing.” 

You scoffed, “you truly think I’ll believe that? What a sad excuse, Sasu. You guys need to attempt to get along, at the very least. Otherwise you’re going to embarrass me in front of Tayuya.” 

Madara watched as Sasuke’s eyes flickered up and down your form almost too quickly to see. You were dressed in a silk, burgundy gown that flattered your form, so he knew very obviously why he’d done it, but he still rolled his eyes. 

“I don’t appreciate being carted around to see your obnoxious fan-club for the third time this week, (Name),” Madara gruffed, smoothing out the suit you’d picked for him after noticing it had been displaced. “I’d much rather play that  _ Last Smack  _ game you have forced me to play.”

“It’s  _ Last Strike _ , Madara, and if you’re going to stay with me, you have to join me too. You agreed to this last night, remember?” 

“Yes; however, I’m sure you recall that I was seven glasses into your Château Le Pin when I did. It is your mistake that you assumed that I would  _ come quietly _ , so to speak, once I sobered up.” 

You laughed boisterously and the clack of your heels on the marble floor seemed to cut through the tension between Sasuke and Madara. Sasuke even took a few steps back from the elder Uchiha and allowed you to approach him. You adjusted Sasuke’s tie - it matched your dress in color - and patted his chest lightly once you finished. 

“You both look lovely!” You complimented, beaming jovially. 

Madara and Sasuke exchanged uncertain glances. You clapped your hands together at the sound of a resounding bell echoing throughout your house. “That must be the driver! I hope he brought the new car.” 

You shuffled off quickly, urging the other two men to join you. They began walking in tandem - subconsciously - and Sasuke called Madara’s name too quietly for you to hear from a distance. 

“I will ask Obito if you don’t tell me.” 

Madara ran a hand through his hair and suppressed a second annoyed sigh. 

Obito loved to stir shit up. He’d likely tell Sasuke in a way that would piss him off even more. Really, Madara didn’t doubt for a second that he would tell Sasuke if he asked just to upset him, even if it would cause problems despite the fact that Obito rather liked you. Or so he  _ said.  _ Who knew if Obito truly meant what he said. 

“Obito suspects that (Name) was put on a hit list.” Madara decided he’d leave out the part where his brother was on it too. 

Sasuke’s annoyed expression switched to one of apprehension. “Is he sure?” 

“The description was vague, but she fits the mark. I am still hoping this is only a case of Obito being superfluously paranoid.” 

“Have him trace it.” 

“He is trying. It’s proving to be more difficult than he thought.” 

“With all of our fucking resources he shouldn’t be having that hard of a time,” Sasuke shot back.

“They used hundreds of levels of encryption.” 

“So bypass the encryption!” Sasuke hissed. 

“Are you well versed in hacking, Sasuke?” Madara asked, mostly hypothetically as they neared you. You were waiting patiently for them. 

“Obviously not, but-”

“Then keep your mouth shut,” Madara ordered, “I am not a patient, nor  _ social _ man and (Name) is already whittling down my tolerance for nonsense with these constant outings. I will go along with  _ this _ for  _ her,  _ but I will not be disrespected by  _ you _ , and especially not about  _ this. _ ”

You crossed your arms and made a face. You’d evidently heard a portion of what he’d said. “Madara!  _ Play. Nice.” _

“Your codependency is distasteful,” Madara gruffed.    


You looked over your shoulder at him, shrugging with a charming smile. “I repay loyalty with loyalty. It just so happens that Sasuke is inherently and fiercely loyal to me.” Madara looked at Sasuke from the corner of his eye. The smug expression on his face caused him to growl lowly in disgust.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Sasuke suggested, placing a gentle hand on your shoulder blade and taking the door from your hand, holding it open for you. He let the door close before Madara was able to shuffle out. Madara let out a harsh breath to, again, expel some of his mounting irritation and followed the two of you out. 

Your driver had pulled the limousine through your circular driveway and parked it before the stairway. Sasuke offered you his arm and one of the gentlemen you employed approached Madara and gave him a short bow after he’d closed the door. 

“I will lock it, Master Madara. Please follow Lady (Name) and Master Sasuke to our lady’s vehicle.” 

Madara stepped to the side and nodded at the well-dressed man and then followed you both to the car, watching as Sasuke crawled in after you. 

Madara hurried down the steps. He was nearly at the foot of the steps when his phone rang loudly from his coat pocket. He fished it out with annoyance, sliding in the limousine as he did so. 

He answered it as soon as he saw Shisui’s name on the ID. 

“What?” He spat. 

The first thing he heard from the other line was the unmistakable wet gurgle of a throat being sliced open in the background. 

Not only was Shisui lucky their phone lines were secured, but he was lucky you weren’t sitting next to him. It was loud enough for Sasuke, who had sat in the middle of the long row, to shoot him a disapproving look. 

He heard Shisui breathe heavily from the other end - it was a sound of frustration, not distress. 

_ “If Obito doesn’t find that fucker,”  _ he panted, seething,  _ “then I will.”  _

**_~~~~~~~_ **

Obito hadn’t done it intentionally. 

Shisui, honest to god, just didn’t know how to mind his own business. Obito  _ should  _ have expected for Shisui to figure it out - he was always unnaturally perceptive even for an Uchiha - and Obito  _ had _ been agitated ever since seeing that hit put on you. It was only a matter of time before Shisui found out.

Obito hadn’t slept much. His emotions and thinking were becoming compromised, and he’d accidentally left his laptop out on the hotel room desk as he showered - it was not his best decision. As soon as he’d realized about half way through, he’d hopped out of the shower and wrenched the bathroom door open, nearly forgetting his towel, and bursted through to the main room. He did all of that just to find a murderous Shisui already attaching various weapons to his utility belt. 

Obito and Shisui engaged in a lengthy yelling match, one that Obito  _ really  _ did not want to have while his extremities were covered by such a small towel. Not just that, but he ended up thoroughly soaking the expensive, formerly plush white carpeting of their room with the pink color of watered down. All because Shisui had decided to take rash action and try to get the fucker who put a hit out on you despite not even knowing who he was.   
  
After several attempts at trying to explain that Obito knew little more than Shisui after his brief analysis of the file on Obito’s laptop that he hadn’t given him permission to view in the first place, Shisui finally backed down. After Obito relented himself and went back to finish off his shower, Shisui told him that the actual reason he’d calmed himself down was so that he wouldn’t have to see Obito stand there naked anymore.    
  


Now that they were both cleaned up, they finally went to leave their room. Shisui took a couple of shots at the downstairs bar before they took off for their third mission of the day through the back side door. Their car was on and running when they stepped out, likely a favor done by one of the employees here, so they were able to take off seamlessly.   
  
Obito and Shisui came to an agreement on the way there - Shisui would call Madara in the middle of the mission and threaten, very vaguely, that he would take action if Obito wasn’t able to take care of things. With Fugaku being the current clan head, Obito was extremely limited in what resources he could tap into. Fugaku was huge on maintaining their reputation as a high-class, law-abiding family and retired their connections to some of Madara’s more unscrupulous contacts. They were going over Fugaku’s head, but both of them ultimately decided that it was necessary. Fugaku was too strict on keeping their more unethical practices under the radar, and neither Obito nor Shisui cared much for it at this point. 

They were in agreement that this could turn out to be dangerous especially once Obito had told him he’d tried to delete the posting multiple times, but continued to fail. Shisui seemed to gloss over the fat that he was included in this hit - he was more concerned for Itachi and  _ you.  _ Mostly you. Itachi, though he wasn’t on the field, he was trained to be. He could handle himself to an extent. You, however, were an innocent party, only dragged into a situation like this because of your marriage. 

The mission went well. Obito eliminated his target without issue - she’d been asleep, sharing the bed with a man who was definitely not her husband. He’d killed him anyway, for good measure, before Shisui and him met in the kitchen of their penthouse. Shisui’s target wasn’t there (obviously, as his target was the woman’s husband) but Obito was able to tap into his phone and see that he was only a half hour away. Off they went again, but not after Obito snatched a rather expensive bottle of whiskey from their island countertop.    
  
Shisui drove this time - the shots had made their way out of his system by then - and Obito chugged the bottle without a chaser. Time seemed to fly by, and before they knew it, Shisui pulled into the sizable shed that he operated from. Neither of them bothered to be silent - they bickered their way up to the door. Shisui flung the metal door upwards.   
  
Obito groaned and relaxed his hold on his gun. “We were too loud. He probably fled to the back.” Shisui drew his weapon. “I’ll stay here in case he comes back. You can go secure the other exit.” 

Shisui took off into a sprint immediately, making his way around the large shed - really, it could’ve been considered a building - and drew his switchblade with his other hand.    
  
He made it all the way around in record time. Upon seeing a shadow flittering closer to the tall metal fence bordering the property with a similar body type as the man he’d been targeting, Shisui immediately let off three rounds. He didn’t bother to take out his badge or announce who he was or why he was there. Instead, the large man fell to the ground with a cry of pain.    
  
“I told you I’d have your money in three days, Mizuki! Three days!” 

Shisui furrowed his eyebrows as he approached his writhing body, “Why do you owe Mizuki money, hm?”    
  
He immediately froze. He clearly wasn’t expecting someone else.    
  
“Wh-what? Who are you?”    
  
“Secret Service,” Shisui answered without hesitation, “you and your wife were caught digging into the Prime Minister’s personal business. Just here to put a stop to it.” The closer he got, the more he suspected that he was connected with more unsavory dealings. Drugs and digging for intel were one thing, but…    
  
His eyes seemed to fall on Shisui as he finally came to his side. Shisui kneeled down and pressed the cold barrel of his gun to his bare, sticky chest.    
  
“U-Uchiha…. They sent the fucking Uchiha after me?!” 

“Unfortunately for you. Did you hire a hitman recently?”    
  
“What?! I would never-”   
  
“Do you know someone who’s hired a hitman?”   
  
“I-I don’t associate with-”

Shisui pressed the switch to his neck. “Fine, fine,” Shisui relented, “But why else are you looking into the Prime Minister’s family members? You’re digging yourself into some deep shit. I’m a reasonable guy, but my partner isn’t. I can make this quick and painless, but you have to tell me something - anything - before my partner gets here. A name, a place, a time.” The man started to cry and Shisui leaned back on his heels and sighed softly. “Who is Mizuki to you?” 

“I-I borrowed some money from him last year-”   
  
“Yeah, I gathered. Why?”

“I wanted t-to provide for my wife and-”   
  
Shisui knitted his brows together again. “Man, that’s too bad. She was cheating on you.” 

The man’s eyes went wide. “Sh-she wouldn’t-”   
  
“Look,” Shisui interrupted him, getting antsy, “I’m getting tired of this. Just tell me who Mizuki is and when he’s coming to collect.”   
  
“H-he helped me start up my business. I was in a bad place and-”   
  
“Uh-huh. You said three days, right?”   
  
“Y-yes, I needed time to-”   
  
“Great.  _ Were _ you going to hire a hitman?” Shisui watched the blood from the man's leg wound run underneath his shoes. 

“No!” He wheezed, going to shake his head furiously. The movement caused Shisui’s blade to slice through his skin.    
  
Shisui sighed and then phished his phone out of his pocket. 

“Alright, well I have all I need.” Shisui pressed the button on his speed dial for Madara. Just as he answered, Shisui brought the knife across his throat. The feeling left him breathless. He found that he couldn’t look at the man's face as he gurgled and gasped for breath.  _ “ _ If Obito doesn’t find that fucker,” he panted, “then I will.” 

He did his best to come across as severe as possible, though he wasn’t sure how successful he was. 

He heard Madara sigh through the receiver. _ “You’re a pain in my ass. Have Obito check his email in twenty minutes.”  _

“Understood,” Shisui confirmed, “thanks.” He stood, wiping his drenched knife off on his pants and then placing it back on his belt. He wiped his hand off in a similar fashion. 

_ “Don’t threaten me again,”  _ Madara whispered,  _ “Or I’ll shoot you myself. I don’t give a shit how close you are to my son.”  _

“We aren’t close, but sure,” Shisui affirmed as he leisurely made his way back to Obito. “Thanks again, Madara.”   
  
The line dropped after that.    
  
“Oi!” Obito called as soon as he locked eyes with him. “Why the fuck are you such a mess?”    
  
“He cut himself on my knife after I shot him,” Shisui spoke nonchalantly, walking back towards the car.

“Did you call my dad?” Obito asked, stumbling slightly. Shisui stabilized him before letting him walk by himself again. 

“Yeah. He’s sending you an email.” Shisui opened Obito’s door for him.   
  
“Thanks,” Obito said gratefully, smacking Shisui harshly on his shoulder blade. Shisui winced. “That’ll make it much easier.”    
  
“Let’s just get back to the hotel. I’m almost as messy as you were this morning.” 

Obito and Shisui settled in. They spent the rest of the drive conversing casually while Obito drank himself into oblivion.    
  
Shisui had to pull over twice to let him puke before they reached the hotel.

**_~~~~~~_ **

Shisui usually didn’t ask Sasuke or Itachi to come with him during missions because it compromised their safety. This time around, though, he felt he needed to. None of the agents in the Prime Minister’s service wore body cameras, and while it was a blessing most times, it was also dangerous in certain situations. While Sasuke and Itachi were well-trained, going out on the field wasn’t something they did often. They covered the legal bases of the Uchiha branch of the anbu while he and Obito covered the dirtier sides of business. 

Shisui wanted to meet Mizuki. Obito was busy, though. He’d taken a flight off to the City of Stone approximately a day and a half after they’d finished their mission to meet some of Madara’s contacts. Shisui hadn’t bothered to return home - he wanted to stick around and see what his target had been involved in. He didn’t truly believe it to be linked to the hit put on you, Itachi, and himself, but he had a feeling that his target was just a surface-level conflict of a much bigger, growing problem. 

Fugaku had given him his permission to investigate and to take Itachi out onto the field. Shisui had requested that an agent that he worked frequently with in the past be sent out for backup as well.    
  
Kakashi Hatake was a personal friend of Obito’s and one of Shisui’s preferred  _ business  _ partners. He was level-headed and cool, and he always got the job done. Sometimes Shisui wanted to work with him  _ more  _ than Obito because of it - on the rare occasion that he was assigned paired missions, that is. 

Shisui didn’t really have an idea of what he was getting into, but he knew it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. He was able to come back from most, if not all, situations.

He was sitting on a rolling chair in the shed full of various drugs he’d previously decided that he wanted nothing to do with. Obito had asked him to take a few ecstasy pills for him, but he’d told his cousin to fuck off. Shisui wasn’t going to take shit - not when this was soon to become a crime scene. 

  
The ringtone of his cell-phone blared from his pocket and he jumped unexpectedly. “Shit!” He exclaimed, clutching at his chest as he picked his phone up from the table. He inhaled softly at the sight of your name on the ID. 

There literally could not have been a worse time for you to call. He was waiting for Itachi and Kakashi to arrive - they were around 10 minutes away last he checked - and he truly had no clue when Mizuki would arrive. You’d been making a point to keep all texts short. You also only called him before you went to sleep at night, and it was approximately 3 in the morning. You’d already called him that night.   
  
Shisui answered immediately after realizing that. Something must’ve been wrong. 

“Hello? Are you okay?” He answered without hesitation.

_ “I’m okay,”  _ you responded, your voice sounding breathy,  _ “but I had a nightmare. I tried to call Sasuke, but I don’t think he’s in an area with service right now and Madara is asleep. I’m sorry to bother you, Shisui.” _

Shisui let out a deep sigh of relief, “thank god. I thought you were hurt or something.” He let out a soft laugh, “I’m glad you’re okay. Can I do anything to help you?” 

He heard you laugh in response, though it still sounded a bit forlorn.  _ “Just talking to you helps. I should’ve just called you first. You’re my husband, after all.”  _

“It’s alright. I understand. It’s going to be difficult getting back on track, so I’ll do my best not to get offended.” 

_ “I don’t deserve you.”  _

“You do,” he refuted, “and  _ more _ . I just hope that I can give you everything you need.” 

You seemed to hesitate to respond.  _ “I think we just need to spend more time together. You’re always away. I think that’s… what really made a difference.”  _

Now  _ that  _ was the first time you’d ever said something like that.    
  
“I’ll mention that to my uncle,” Shisui responded, toying with the knife in his hand as he spoke to you. “I want to make you as happy as possible. I just got so wrapped up in work that I neglected everything else.”    
  
_ “I know. I’m glad we’re working it out, Shisui. I think we’ve just forgotten how to love each other.”  _

“I guess that’s one way to put it.” 

_ “Will you… go to couples therapy with me?”  _

Shisui tried his best to refrain from making any sound that you could take as an insult.    
  
“I, uh… yeah,” he stammered, “I’ll try it. If you want to.”

_ “I think it’ll help. I… have things I need to express that I am not sure how to.”  _ _   
_ _   
_ ...Were you referring to your feelings for Itachi?   
  
“Okay. Just tell me when and I’ll be there.” 

_ “Thanks.”  _ He heard your smile through the phone.  _ “I’m glad I called you. Do you mind if we stay on the phone until I fall asleep?”  _

Shisui grit his teeth.    
  
He wouldn’t mind - not really - if he wasn’t sitting in the shed that contained a good portion of a rapidly rising drug lord’s coke stash with a decaying, grotesque rotting body outside; not to mention that he was waiting for what was likely a member of the yakuza. 

“I don’t mind at all,” Shisui found himself saying, “but I may have to mute myself. A client of ours called for an emergency meeting, so I’ll be here for awhile.” 

_ “That’s okay, I-” _ _   
_ _   
_ The metal door slowly inched up and Shisui stood hastily, putting his phone to his ear with his shoulder.  _ “ _ I’ve gotta mute myself now, (Name). You can still talk to me though. I’ll be listening.” 

He wouldn’t be, but he wanted you to think he was. He pressed the mute button, slid his phone in his pocket, and drew his gun all in the span of a few seconds.   
  
When the door rose completely, a silver-haired man with his own gun stood there nonchalantly. His eyes widened slightly when they met with Shisui’s.    
  
“You’re not Ichiro.”   
  
“No,” Shisui started, his heart beginning to race. He had been hoping it was Kakashi. “I’m not.”    
  
“Who are you?”    
  
“One of his business partners. He found out that his wife was cheating on him. He’s at home dealing with that.” 

“I told that poor fucker that bitch was cheating on him months ago and he didn’t believe me,” Mizuki said with a click of his tongue. “She gives good head though, right?” He smirked. 

Shisui wasn’t sure how to respond. Obito was the one who usually did the whole  _ guy talk  _ thing when necessary. 

“I wouldn’t know,” Shisui said, “she’s not my type.”

“You ever seen her ti-”   
  
“He doesn’t have the money,” Shisui cut through, not wanting to delve any deeper into a conversation of that nature. 

Mizuki’s expression morphed sinisterly. “So that’s why the fucker sent you instead of facing me himself.”   
  
Shisui shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess so. I’m just the messenger though, so-”   
  
“First he doesn’t have my money,” Mizuki started, stalking towards Shisui, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “Second, he doesn’t bother to toss out the dead bodies he keeps around this shithole. This is the third time I’ve had to endure the smell of rotting  _ ass _ , man.”   
  
Shisui kept a poker face as Mizuki brandished a knife.   
  
He knew it. His intuition had been right - Ichiro had been involved in something darker than he’d let on.    
  
“I’ve told him multiple times to take out the trash when it starts to stink. He doesn’t listen well, so I’ll have to teach him a lesson.” He went to point the knife at Shisui’s throat, but Shisui caught his wrist in an iron grip before he could get much closer. Mizuki looked up at Shisui - who was a few inches taller - with furrowed brows. It seemed like he’d just realized that Shisui was much stronger than he looked. “Who the fuck  _ are  _ you?” 

Shisui took a second to gauge his strength against this man and concluded that he could win - easily.   
  
Shisui gave him a small smile accompanied by a laugh. “Shisui Uchiha, at your service.”

At the sound of Shisui’s name, Mizuki immediately bristled and tried to wrench out of his hold. “You tricked me, you son of a-”

“You can come quietly,” Shisui informed him, “we don’t have to fight.”    
  
Mizuki reached for his pocket with his other hand. Shisui quickly used his own free hand to push his palm against Mizuki’s knifehand and disarmed him. He saw a flash of a gun and Shisui moved to the side hastily, putting Mizuki in a chokehold and using his knee to strike the weapon out of his hand. Mizuki appeared to have realized that he was outclassed as he put his empty hands up a second later.   
  
“Alright, alright! I’ll stop! Just let me breathe!” Shisui let out a low chuckle and released his hold very slightly.   
  
“You’re under arrest.”   
  
“I fucking figured.”   
  
Shisui got handcuffs from his belt and Mizuki complied with the first lock up. Shisui let him go and moved to cuff his second hand.   
  
“Sorry we’re late.” Shisui looked towards the entrance and shook his head at the sight of both Kakashi and Itachi approaching with mugs of coffee. “We got lost and-”   
  
“We were getting coffee,” Itachi cut in, “I figured you could handle it.” 

“I did,” Shisui said, “but the body from the other day is still outside. My hands are full. You guys can handle it, right?”    
  
The look on Kakashi’s face said it all.  
  
Shisui laughed as he walked Mizuki to his car. “Sorry, Itachi.”   
  
Itachi sighed as Shisui passed him. “I’m sure you are.”

He wasn't.

Once Shisui got everything settled (meaning that Mizuki was properly restrained, but comfortable), he fished his phone out from his pocket and pressed a few buttons to light up the screen. He wanted to know if you were still on the phone with him.  
  
His entire body ran cold when it lit up.

Somehow during the scuffle with Mizuki, he had _unmuted_ his microphone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AWWWW SHIT HERE WE GO BOIS


End file.
